South Korea - The Korea Times

Gov't to boost protection for undocumented children

20,000 undocumented children face deportation riskBy You Soo-sunThe Korean government plans to investigate and enhance the human rights of undocumented children in Korea, estimated to exceed 20,000 according to civic organizations.The Ministry of Justice is expected to launch a project next year to document the living conditions of the children and implement measures to address human rights concerns ― 127 million won ($113,983) has been allocated for the project, which is the first of its kind here.According to Rep. Baek Hye-ryun of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), no government body has yet documented the plight of unregistered children.“We phoned the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court to gather information on the issue, only to find out no government body has ever obtained official records of this population,” an official at Rep. Baek’s office told The Korea Times.“After making repeated complaints about this issue, the ministry agreed to look into the matter next year.”The office plans to follow up on the issue beginning with a conference wi

Nov 2, 2017

Dispute over abortion ban grows

A controversy is growing over calls to abolish the law banning abortion.A petition posted on Cheong Wa Dae’s website, requesting the abolition of the ban on abortion surgeries and medications gathered over 230,000 supporters over the past month.“Unwanted births are a tragedy for the mother, child and nation,” it said.“Banning abortion surgeries and medications does not take into account the safety and health of women.”While the presidential office has yet to respond, the Constitutional Court is reviewing the constitutionality of the abortion ban.According to a report by Yonhap News Agency, the court received a petition in February to review whether related clauses in the criminal law are constitutional.The first clause states a woman who undergoes an abortion is subject to a prison term of up to a year or a maximum fine of 2 million won.The other states doctors who perform an abortion with the consent of a pregnant woman are subject to a prison term of up to two years.The Constitutional Court’s review of the abortion ban comes five years after the

Nov 1, 2017

Growing generational divide threatens aging Korea

An elderly woman carries boxes to a recycling shop in Seongbuk-gu, northeastern Seoul, Saturday. / Korea Times photo by You Soo-sunBy You Soo-sunNot only is Korean society growing old, its generational divide is also deepening ― isolating the elderly even further. In 2016, over 1.3 million people aged at least 65 were found to be living alone; over 1,000 face death in solitude every year. Given that it is a country aging fast ― hastened by longer life expectancy and a low birthrate ― the issue is a daunting one.The problem is aggravated by the growing chasm between the young and old, within and outside families. By 2014, less than 30 percent of the elderly was living with their grown children, a major drop from 55 percent in 1994 when filial duty and financial strains held them closer together.Instead, the share of single elderly households rose to 33.5 percent by 2016, up from 20 percent in 1990 and it is likely to rise further still.Isolation, for many, is the most difficult thing to get through and often cited as a major contributor to depression and the rise in suicides

Oct 31, 2017

Growing generational divide threatens aging Korea

More than 200,000 sign pro-abortion petition

The petition on the South Korean Presidential Office’s homepage seeking to abolish the criminal status of abortion had attracted the signatures of 233,826 people as of Monday 4 p.m. The petition aims to “abolish abortion’s criminality and legalize imports of Mifegyne that helps pregnant women naturally miscarry their fetus.” / Captured from presidential office's homepageBy Chyung Eun-juMore than 200,000 people have signed a petition on South Korean presidential office’s homepage to abolish the criminal status of abortion as of Sunday, requiring the central authority to give an official response.A member of the public filed the petition on Sept. 30 and since then 214,298 people had signed by Sunday at 4 p.m. on Oct. 29, one day before the deadline.Cheong Wa Dae had pledged in August to give an official reply within 30 days from a senior-or -minister level to a petition with more than 200,000 signatures.The pledge came 100 days after the Moon Jae-in administration took office in May.“Korea has a low birth rate, but unwanted pregnancy is a t

Oct 30, 2017

More than 200,000 sign pro-abortion petition

Gov't to reduce medical expenses for low-income earners

By You Soo-sunA revised health care plan to ease the financial burden on low-income earners will take effect next year, according to the health ministry Monday.  The Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a legislative notice of a revision to the National Health Insurance Act that would reduce health care costs for people who earn below the median income.Specifically it will lower the out-of-pocket limit, the maximum annual amount a person has to pay for insurance-covered services.People in the lowest income bracket, or the bottom 10 percentile of the income distribution, will pay an annual maximum of 800,000 won ($710) of medical costs, down from 1.22 million won.Those whose earnings fall between the 10th and 30th percentile will pay up to 1 million won a year, down from 1.2 million won. People who earn just below the median income will pay up to 1.5 million won, down from 2 million.The out-of-pocket limit was introduced in 2004 to expand medical insurance and prevent household bankruptcy caused by heavy medical costs.According to a 2016 OECD report, 37 percent of health spendin

Oct 30, 2017

Japan should own up to 'comfort women' issue: UN rights body

By You Soo-sun The United Nations human rights agency called on Japan to acknowledge the country’s violation of the human rights of “comfort women,” or wartime sex slaves, and to implement its recommendations, according to the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, Saturday.The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also requested Japan to take legal responsibility and punish responsible individuals for the issue, estimated to have involved 80,000 to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea but also China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and other parts of Asia.  The report came a couple of days after the UNESCO International Advisory Committee reportedly deferred its decision on the listing of the comfort women archives on its Memory of the World Register, established to preserve documentary heritages throughout the world. Many Koreans suspect the decision was influenced by the Japanese government, a major donor for the program.The OHCHR report will be submitted for a United Nations review on the Japanese human rights situation slated for ne

Oct 29, 2017

Japan should own up to 'comfort women' issue: UN rights body

80 HIV patients in Busan missing

By You Soo-sunHealth officials have failed to keep track of around 80 people in Busan who have tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).According to Rep. Jung Myung-hee of the Democratic Party of Korea, Thursday, they were part of 878 people who tested positive in the port city.The issue has recently been highlighted in Busan, where a woman arrested for prostitution was found to be HIV positive. Police said she had sex with at least 10 men between August and September last year.Concerns are growing as it is impossible to track down the missing 80 who may also be sexually active.Some of the missing tested positive three to four years ago, while others recently discovered their condition.Without taking antiretroviral medicines used to slow HIV, it is possible for them to contract acquired immunity deficiency syndrome (AIDS).It is impossible to track down the patients since a 2008 law revision abolished the requirements of health institutions to report the names of HIV positive patients and check up on them every quarter.  Now, most health institutions only keep a

Oct 26, 2017

UNESCO begins review on 'comfort women'

By You Soo-sunThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs is endeavoring to have the “comfort women” archives listed by UNESCO, which began its first review Tuesday.The UNESCO International Advisory Committee began reviewing applications for its Memory of the World Register, established to preserve documentary heritage throughout the world.“We are doing our best to submit the comfort women archives, following our basic stance the issue should serve as a historic lesson,” ministry spokesman Roh Kyu-deok said during a regular briefing. At the general meeting, which will continue until Thursday, the committee is expected to examine around 130 applications, including one for the comfort women, a term used to refer to wartime sex slaves of imperial Japan.Around 2,744 documents for consideration have been submitted by civic organizations from 14 countries including Korea, China, Japan and the Netherlands.This is the first review to take place since the application was filed.The Korean government is seeking to have it pass the review board before the incumbent UNESCO secret

Oct 25, 2017

Discovery to allow early detection of Alzheimer's disease

By You Soo-sunA Seoul National University medical team has discovered a new technique to predict Alzheimer’s disease ― the most common form of dementia in the elderly ― before patients show signs of the disease.The discovery was announced Monday by the research group led by Professor Mook In-hee and Lee Dong-young at the university’s College of Medicine.  Prior to the discovery, detection of the disease required an expensive brain scan called positron emission tomography (PET). And this was effective only after patients showed symptoms.Researchers focused on amyloid, a protein fragment, which may trigger Alzheimer’s when it exceeds threshold deposits. By estimating the concentration of amyloid it is possible to detect the disease before it causes damage to brain cells.The team found a way to regulate amyloid accumulation. Using this mechanism, the new technique can predict Alzheimer’s with an accuracy rate matching 90 percent of that of a PET scan.This also has important implications for developing applicable treatments for the disease.  Their r

Oct 24, 2017

Pet management rules to be toughened

A person walks a dog next to a warning sign banning unleashed dogs at Yeouido Park in Seoul, Monday. / YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong The government vowed Monday to toughen regulations on pet dogs that attack people, in response to the recent death of a famous upscale Korean restaurant owner who died after being bitten by her neighbor’s dog.According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, one of the measures is to increase the number of breeds required to wear a muzzle when outside. Currently, only breeds like Tosas, American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and Rottweilers are required to wear one.Also, the ministry will push to increase fines imposed on owners who let their dogs roam around without a leash or a muzzle. The current fine is up to 500,000 won. It will also award people who report unleashed dogs to the authorities in an effort to improve law enforcement.The 53-year-old restaurant owner, known as Kim, was attacked by a neighbor’s dog in her apartment elevator on Sept. 30 in southern Seoul.

Oct 23, 2017

ED Beware of dogs

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